What Had Happened WasTrending stories on the intersections of race, sports & culture

Daily DoseBALTIMORE, MD – MAY 23: Demonstrators chant, ‘No justice, no peace’ outside the Mitchell Courthouse-West after Baltimore Police Officer Edward Nero was found not guilty on all charges against him related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray May 23, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. One of six police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, Nero was found not by Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams in a bench trial. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Daily Dose: 6/16/16

9:02 AMWe’re coming down to the tail end of O.J.: Made in America, and Wesdnesday night was Part 3. It might have been the most shocking installment yet for many viewers. Our interview with director Ezra Edelman and ESPN analyst and Los Angeles native Marcellus Wiley about the episode is here.

The case of Freddie Gray is still ongoing in Baltimore. Two of the six officers charged have yet to be convicted, with one trial resulting in a hung jury and another resulting in an acquittal. Now, it’s the van driver himself who’s on trial for second-degree murder. The practice of “rough rides” is now well-known as a common occurrence in police brutality. Clearly, the driver has a major role in said activity. On Wednesday, a medic with the Baltimore City Fire Department described what Gray’s neck felt like when she arrived at the scene. ABC News’ Serena Marshall details the horrifying account of the first responder.

Orlando can’t catch a break. First, singer Christina Gimmie was killed by a stalker while signing autographs after a show. Then, the mass shooting that rocked America occurred a few days later. Following that, a 2-year-old boy was killed by an alligator at a lake adjacent to a Disney resort. I’m not an expert on Central Florida, but this has to be one of the worst, if not the worst, stretches that city and region has ever seen in modern history. Both President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will be traveling to the city Thursday to address the situation that unfolded at Pulse, a popular gay nightclub. ABC News’ Robin Gradison has the story.

Remember when Obama was first running for president? Remember what the biggest critique against him was, aside from all the dog-whistle racism stuff about his name, his birthplace and his “religion”? It was his lack of experience. He’d only served as the Illinois junior senator for a couple years after being in the state Senate for less than a decade. He was effectively a young buck (my God, those photos from then) in the game. Well, as it turns out, that could have helped him more than it hurt. FiveThirtyEight’s Julia Azari points out that some of our worst presidents have come in to office with a lot of experience.

Game 6 of the NBA Finals is tonight. We’re back in Cleveland, which means Quicken Loans Arena should be rocking on the strength of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love combining for 84 points in the big Game 5 win on the road to extend the series. In all seriousness though, it was the best game of the Finals so far, leading to a monster showdown that could end with the Warriors once again claiming victory in Ohio, now that Draymond Green is returning. Back to Irving though, here’s 17 things you missed on that vicious and-1 that we all remember.

Free Food

Coffee Break: Studies have shown that many believe black people don’t feel as much pain as others. This has led to countless issues in the medical world, nevermind trauma. But this story about the Tuskegee Airmen experiments explains how medical exploitation has long-term effects.

Snack Time: So, the reason I was in Italy recently was for a friend’s wedding. That friend is part of a startup company called Enzi, which makes fashion-forward shoes with 100 percent Ethiopian products. Here’s a profile on them.

When this site first started, the staff of The Undefeated got into a heated, afternoon-long argument about one thing. IHOP vs. Waffle House. It basically broke down to people who went to school or were from the South and everyone else. Both have places in all our of drunken-college histories, but the question of their cultural importance, respectively, is undeniable.

When it comes to song lyrics, Waffle House wins the battle. It’s not even close. The question of the actual quality of the food is one for you to have with your friends. But we need you to know about B.W. Webb, the Newport News native, whose been rocking this Allen Iverson-inspired Waffle House sleeve. The cornerback has been wearing this for a few days during organized team activities (OTAs) for the Tennessee Titans.

This ranks incredibly high on the list of ratchet-yet-inspired athletic wear, just above those spinner shoes that nobody had but everyone seemed to know about. Most importantly, this is not a custom job for Webb. Waffle House is selling all sorts of things that seemingly make no sense. Cycling jerseys somehow feel more pointless for Waffle House regulars than arm sleeves.

The NFL is obviously going to ruin this bit, like, yesterday, but here’s to looking for side endorsement deals by scouring gift shops of mid-level regional eateries.

MusicINDIO, CA – APRIL 15: Special guest hip-hop artist ScHoolboy Q performs onstage with A$AP Rocky during day 1 of the 2016 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival Weekend 1 at the Empire Polo Club on April 15, 2016 in Indio, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)

The image of the NBA legend’s face during his Basketball Hall of Fame induction in 2009 has been everywhere you turn for a good two years now. With it has come lament that people will never remember who the Chicago Bulls great actually was, aside from dudes in your mentions who do nothing but play NBA 2K on the couch, telling you that LeBron James will never achieve his heights. Anyway, Jordan himself says he doesn’t mind it.

But ScHoolboy Q is going next level. Creating an edited meme as your full album cover is peak rap in 2016. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. The TDE rapper is just riding the wave, to quote homey Aaron Dodson, which is all you can really ask of someone trying to move units these days. This is also known as Drake’s entire album philosophy these days. We ain’t mad.

But there’s a side question here about that meme. First off, no one will ever forget Jordan, or his basketball career. Which is simultaneously part of the problem and the raison d’être for “Legacy Twitter” to begin with. Lest we not forget where this meme came from though, which is why we will NEVER feel bad for it potentially outlasting Jordan’s impact: It came as a result of the pettiest moment of his career.

Remember that nonsense? He got up on stage and basically acted like a complete savage to everyone in the room who ever crossed him, like some sort of weird Tarantino revenge-flick situation without all the blood and N-words. It was so lame. Jordan even took shots at the Hall of Fame itself, because he had to pay for his own tickets, as if he’s not a multi-gazillianaire.

My man even flew out his old high school teammate who made the team his sophomore year above him to the ceremony, just to make fun of him, along with throwing his old high school coach under the bus, too. The whole thing was foul, and no one was afraid to admit it at the time. Jordan spent the one night he could have been gracious by trying to roast people and will end up paying the price for that from an image standpoint for the rest of eternity.

We might have to buy this album just on the strength of that alone.

All Day PodcastClinton Yates (left), Jill Hudson and Justin Tinsley host the All Day Podcast from The Undefeated.Photo by Nick Caito / ESPN Images

All Day Podcast: 6/15/16

O.J. Simpson in today’s society, style at the NBA Finals and anti-gay prejudice in the black community

We’re back with another edition of our podcast today, after two of us were on the road for some time. To start things off, we caught up with both my vacation and Jill’s trip to Cleveland for the NBA Finals. Then, we tackled a couple different topics.

First, we took at look at Part 2 of ESPN’s 30 for 30 O.J.: Made in America. We broke down the latest episode and discussed the story from several angles, highlighting threeseparatestories from The Undefeated that have analyzed his current role in American society.

Then, we took a look at the NBA Finals from a style standpoint, specifically talking about Cleveland Cavalier Kyrie Irving’s all-black look and Under Armour’s latest marketing move with the Chef Curry 2s, which have been ridiculed across the internet.

Lastly, we discussed anti-gay prejudice in the black community and how that relates to the terrible tragedy that unfolded in Orlando, Florida.

Have a listen.

Daily DoseORLANDO, USA – JUNE 14: A woman lights a candle at a makeshift memorial for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, USA on June 14, 2016. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Being overseas during a mass shooting in the United States is a bizarre experience. As an American, we are often immediately identifiable before any words come out of your mouth, and once they do, people want to ask you about two things: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and guns. In the case of the Orlando mass shooting, many foreigners were completely perplexed and I had one answer — this nation values bullets more than lives. That aside, the latest update in the case is the wife of Omar Marteen, the man who shot and killed 49 people at nightclub, is now being investigated about what she might have known regarding his intentions on that horrific night in Central Florida.

Speaking of guns, South Africa is not far behind the U.S. In that nation, the regard for property protection far outweighs everything, because there was a time when it was literally the law for the minority white nation to suppress and abuse the black people who surrounded them. Their culture of violence overall puts ours to shame, to some degree. Point being, for as bad as Oscar Pistorius — an Afrikaner — might feel about shooting and killing his girlfriend, it’s entirely possible he might not feel he genuinely did anything wrong. With sentencing coming up in his case, he entered the courtroom Wednesday on his stumps, not his blades. ABC News has the details.

Reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton is a full-blown superstar in every sense. Incredible football player, media darling and truly talented guy in many respects. We’ve often seen him singing and, well, dancing, even though he recently retired the dab (thank God.) Anyway, the Panthers quarterback made an appearance on a Charlotte morning show and got his karaoke on. He got stuck with Usher’s Nice & Slow, which is an extremely difficult song to nail, particularly with a live audience listening. Power 98 not only managed to get him to sing it, but he did it pretty well, reminding us all that when it comes to the ‘oke, it’s about feeling, not your voice. ESPNW’s Tory Barron reports on the fun.

I love Nate Robinson. My man has been 10 pounds of muscle and hustle in a 5-pound bag for his entire career. Now, the former NBA player is trying to make the Seattle Seahawks as a defensive back. The thought isn’t that outlandish. He played for the University of Washington in college after initially getting there on a football scholarship. He switched his focused to hoops, and later — at 5-foot-9 — ended up as the only three-time NBA dunk contest champion, as dubious as that title may be. But, as a 32-year-old man, breaking into the NFL is not an easy task. ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia asked head coach Pete Carroll about his chances.

Free Food

Coffee Break: There’s a thing people are doing now in order to calm themselves down and relax (or sleep at night) that might remind you of when you were a child. It’s called AMSR, and it’s wildly popular. Folks are just listening to a woman whispering in a light voice and doing random things like rubbing brush bristles in a 3-D mic. Wow, fam.

Snack Time: My friends tend to give me a lot of flak because I genuinely enjoy Wiz Khalifa as an artist and always have, but my man is doing more than just making mega-hits and getting into spats with Kanye West. He’s a legit style icon.

Daily DoseSAL LAKE CITY – JUNE 14: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the game winner against the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA FINALS of Game 6. The shot gave the Bulls their sixth NBA title, 87-86 at the Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 2002 (Photo by Scott Cunningham/ NBAE/ Getty Images)

Daily Dose: 6/14/16

10:46 AMMonday was my 23rd birthday and the Golden State Warriors lost. While I’m not necessarily Warriors fan, I was hoping that they’d be able to clinch a NBA Finals win as a special present to me, because I’m not sure how much more of this series I can take. None of the five games have been decided by single digits — less than 11 points, if we’re being exact. It might just be the worst Finals series in recent memory. Let’s hope that Game 6 isn’t another blowout.

New developments surrounding the Orlando shooting make the label of this tragedy as a hate crime more perplexing. The shooter, Omar Mateen, who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub Sunday, had a history of anti-gay prejudice, frequently going on rants about gay people, according to his father. But now, it’s been revealed that Mateen also had a history of regularly attending gay nightclubs, according to ABC News. He even was a patron at Pulse, the scene of Sunday’s mass shooting. This has become not only a story of terrorism and the recurring debate over gun control, but one of a struggle of self-identity. ABC News has the details.

Donald Trump has beef with The Washington Post. What’s new about that? Well, the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee stripped the news outlet of media credentials for all future campaign events. This decision, which Trump announced on Facebook, came after the presidential candidate made comments about the Orlando shooting surrounding President Barack Obama, and the newspaper wrote about it. The Washington Post story Trump had a problem with was headlined “Donald Trump suggests President Obama was involved in Orlando shooting.” It was changed, but Trump is standing firm on his decision to revoke the newspaper’s access to his events. ABC News’ Noah Fitzgerel and Paola Chavez have the report.

How will the Orlando shooting affect the 2016 presidential election? The short answer: It’s too hard to really tell. Obviously, we’ve seen the two presumptive nominees from both major parties already comment on the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. And, in the past, the response presidential nominees deliver after such acts in the United States, or even the world, has led to increased support during campaigning. However, there are many other factors to consider when considering this question — especially when the election gives rise to candidates such as Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. FiveThirtyEight’s Harry Enten breaks it down.

Curious about where Draymond Green watched Game 5 of the NBA Finals? The Golden State Warriors’ All-Star forward, who was suspended from playing in Monday night’s Game 5, was forced to spectate from outside Oracle Arena, where his team failed to clinch the NBA title as the Cleveland Cavaliers forced a Game 6. Green watched the game from a suite at the Oakland Coliseum, next to Oracle Arena, with former NFL star and Oakland, California, native Marshawn Lynch. He was close by in case the Warriors won, but they didn’t. The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears has an inside look at Green’s agonizing night.

Snack Time: With tickets going on sale Saturday for Kanye West’s upcoming Saint Pablo Tour, I can’t help to think back to 2012’s Watch The Throne Tour, when West and Jay Z performed N—– in Paris 12 times in a row. Good times.

Dessert: On this day, 18 years ago, Michael Jordan hit “The Last Shot” to give the Chicago Bulls a win in the 1998 NBA Finals, his sixth championship.

Judge Gonzalo Curiel

12:10 PMCertain words come with consequences, which Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has had to learn the hard way in the past year. During a campaign rally in late May, Trump attacked U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is presiding over the civil-fraud, class-action lawsuit against him.

Curiel is an American who was born in Indiana to Mexican immigrants who were naturalized citizens — not, as Trump said to the crowd while criticizing the lawsuits — “happens to be Mexican.”

Curiel is a member of the fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and in recent days, one of the consequences of the negative comments has been nationwide criticism from Curiel’s fraternity brothers. Members of Kappa Alpha Psi, a predominantly black fraternity, have taken to social media, using the hashtags #Nupes4Curiel and #NupesAgainstTrump, to express support for the judge.

Besides tweets, fraternity members have also launched a petition on Change.org, titled “Men of Kappa Stand In Solidarity with Judge Gonzalo Curiel.” The petition does not call for any member to avoid voting for Trump, but rather provides information about Curiel’s identity as a Hispanic man who also identifies with black culture — the information Trump made no attempt to consider.

While the petition, which was started by the Montclair, New Jersey, alumni chapter, is not affiliated with Kappa Alpha Psi’s national organization, the fraternity’s national president, grand polemarch Thomas L. Battles Jr., released a statement of support on the fraternity’s website.

“Kappa Alpha Psi stands firmly against the practice of judging a man solely by his race, creed, or national origin,” Battles wrote. “We believe all Americans are entitled to the freedoms afforded by the Constitution without regards to race. Our fraternity will continue to oppose all forms of racism and rebuke those who promote this evil.”

Daily DoseHONG KONG – JUNE 13: A man holds up a ‘we stand together with Orlando’ poster as people take part in a candlelight vigil for the victims of a shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 13, 2016 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The vigil is put together by Betty Grisoni co-director of Pink Dot and co-founder of local lesbian group Les Peches with Double Happiness, Les Peches, Out in HK and Pink Alliance joining in as supporting organisations. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)

Daily Dose: 6/13/16

The United States witnessed the deadliest mass shooting in history this past weekend

11:00 AMOur thoughts, condolences and prayers this morning go out to the families and friends of the victims in Sunday’s massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The tragedy exposes — again — the horrific reality of gun culture and gun violence in this country. Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Century 16 movie theater, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. How many more mass shootings can this country endure before definitive action is taken to get the guns away from violent and mentally unstable people and those bent on terrorism?

The tragedy in Orlando was much more than a shooting. It was an act of terrorism, connected to the Islamic State group. It was also a hate crime committed against the LGBT community, which celebrates its pride month in June. An armed man was arrested, just hours after the killings at Pulse, reportedly heading to a gay pride parade in West Hollywood, California. Though there is no evidence of a connection between the two events, it is apparent that this month of celebration has unfortunately given people a platform to commit violence. The Associated Press’ Christopher Weber and Andrew Dalton have the details.

Certain details surrounding the Orlando shooting are heartbreaking. If you’ve followed the situation in the last day or so, you’ve probably read a lot of information about the gunman, Omar Mateen. But what about the victims? The mother of Eddie Justice, one of the 49 people killed at Pulse, has released a text message conversation between her and her son from the moments leading up to his death. If you haven’t read it yet, brace yourself. ABC News’ Morgan Winsor has the report.

U.S. terrorist attacks have increasingly involved the use of guns. The effect Sept. 11, 2001, has had on our nation extends much further than increased security at airports. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, which until last weekend were the deadliest our country has seen, completely changed the makeup of terrorism in the United States. While it might seem like explosives are a common method of violence, that hasn’t been the case since 9/11, given the fact that federal authorities track their use. Guns are now what terrorists in the United States are turning to. FiveThirtyEight’s Carl Bialik breaks down the numbers.

The sports world reacted to the Orlando mass shooting. Professional athletes are often looked up to as heroes — their voices are as powerful as anyone’s. Taking this into account, it’s always interesting to see how they react when a major world event, specifically a tragedy, occurs. Many U.S. athletes, some of who are openly a part of the LGBT community, responded through social media. ESPN compiled some of the best reactions.

Free food

Coffee Break: Remember Rachel Dolezal? The white woman who was a civil rights activist, African-American studies professor and NAACP chapter president though she lied about her racial identity? Well, she’s back in the news, apparently now filming a documentary at Howard University. Random, right?

Snack Time: When a draft is 40 rounds, it’s hard not to waste a pick or two. That’s exactly what the Seattle Mariners did in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft when they selected Trey Griffey, the son of 2016 Hall of Fame inductee Ken Griffey Jr., in the 24th round. The funny thing is, this pick was simply to pay tribute to Trey Griffey’s father, a former Mariner great. Trey Griffey is a college football player and hasn’t played baseball since he was 11. Don’t think he’ll be signing an MLB contract anytime soon.

Dessert: Artist Fred Martins used the symbol of an Afro comb to commemorate activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, who were imprisoned while fighting for freedom and racial justice.